Malta : at the crossroads of immigration

Abstract

Malta has been a country of emigration for many decades. It was only after 2002 when the increasing inflow of migrants, which started in the early 1990s, that Malta began to realise that it was gradually becoming a country of immigration. Since joining the European Union (EU) in 2004, Malta has seen a significant increase in the number of undocumented migrants arriving by boat from Africa. Authorities are struggling to cope with this influx and observers are concerned that the country's heavily criticised detention centres are not adequately designed to house as many people. Criticism has also been levelled at the Government's policy regarding mandatory detention of asylum seekers. Malta has sought the so-called 'burden sharing' assistance from both the EU and the international community to improve its capacity to receive, house and process irregular migrants and asylum seekers.